Orion Nebula (M42)
A stellar nursery, the closest region of massive star formation to Earth, visible to the naked eye.
Nebula in Orion. Magnitude 4.0.
Can you see it from Guyana?
From Georgetown (6.8° N) it climbs to 78° above the southern horizon at its highest; from Lethem (3.4° N), to 81° above the southern horizon. It is highest at midnight on the night of 12 Dec, in the middle of its season. The page works out tonight's rise, highest point and set for both towns in Guyana time (UTC-4), and where the Moon is.
What you'll see
- Your eyes: Visible to the eye even from Georgetown, as a misty patch.
- 10x50 binoculars: A misty patch with the Trapezium stars at its heart.
- A small telescope (80 to 100 mm): Wings of nebula around the four Trapezium stars; one of the finest sights in a small telescope.
- A camera: About 400 mm frames it on a tracking mount; add short exposures so the bright core does not burn out.
How big, how bright, how far
- Size on the sky: 65′ × 60′, 2.1 Moons across (the Moon is about 31′ wide).
- Brightness: magnitude 4.0. Brighter than the faintest stars Georgetown shows (4.3), and Lethem's (6.0).
- Distance: 1,344 light-years. The light reaching your eye left it about 1,300 years ago, around the year 730.
What it is made of
- Type
- Emission Nebula
- Distance
- Approx. 1,344 Lightyears
- True size
- Approx. 24 Lightyears diameter
- Ionized Hydrogen (HII): Dominant, emits strong H-alpha light
- Helium (He): Significant portion, also ionized
- Oxygen (OIII): Trace amounts, emits green light when doubly ionized
- Dust Grains: Silicates and carbonaceous grains, form dark lanes
- Young Stars: Including the Trapezium Cluster, responsible for ionization
More deep-sky objects: Rosette Nebula (Caldwell 49) · California Nebula (NGC 1499) · Tarantula Nebula (NGC 2070) · Eta Carinae Nebula (NGC 3372) · North America Nebula (NGC 7000) · Lagoon Nebula (M8)